5 Key Questions After Watching Providence vs Porter Ridge
I was able to witness the match between Providence(Charlotte, NC) and Porter Ridge (Indian Trial, NC) on last night in Indian Trail, NC. Providence won 62-40 which is somewhat a lopsided score but there is always the game inside the…
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Continue ReadingI was able to witness the match between Providence(Charlotte, NC) and Porter Ridge (Indian Trial, NC) on last night in Indian Trail, NC. Providence won 62-40 which is somewhat a lopsided score but there is always the game inside the game. Meaning you can find some good intel inside of a lopsided match. More on the intel discovered later! Providence was led by junior guard and Yale commit Nyla McGill. Nyla had 18 points, 4 assists and 4 boards. She had 16 of those points by halftime which gave Providence a 35-17 lead. The second half was more of a slow kill where Providence started to execute with McGill making pinpoint passes to teammates and started to dominate the game without scoring. She made good passes, played good defense and just put her stamp on the game. Porter Ridge tried to stay in the game by taking some long threes but no luck. Providence now runs there record to 6-0! Porter Ridge falls to 2-4. Here are 5 key questions I took away from the game.
How good is Providence?
In order for Providence to win the conference and make a run in the playoffs they are going to need assistance from sophomore guard Eva Butler. It’s a lot to ask from Butler as a sophomore but she has the potential to score and handle the ball in a big way. There will be games where McGill will need help as she tries to shoulder the load. If Butler can be a little sharper on finishing around the rim and being aggressive in getting her shot off, I think it can help the team make a run. In the end they are going to depend on McGill a great deal. To be frank, she is capable of making it happen for them in a big way(more on her later) but it would be great if Butler could step up!
How can Porter Ridge improve?
I love the energy coach Angelia James of Porter Ridge provides for her team. She seems to understand that her team is young and still learning. Coach James has only 3 seniors on the team and starts 2-3 freshmen. She doesn’t get to down on them but continues to encourage them when they make mistakes. Her demeaner is one of positivity and endurance. She understands the long game here and seems to have the attention of her team which is vital as they try to get better. She has some tools she can build with in freshmen shooter Payton Oliver, freshmen center Megan Brandon and freshmen guard Jyana Salton.
Who will lead Porter Ridge?
As I stated Porter Ridge is a young team with young talent. One athlete that seems to be the go to person is freshmen Jyana Salton. She is a guard who has no conscience. She will shoot the ball from anywhere. I saw her shoot a ball last night a yard or three from half-court. She has the green light! However, she didn’t hit many shots but I always say I rather have a person willing to take a chance than one who isn’t. From there you can build and mold. Salton needs to work on shot selection. She has the ability to create offense which means penetrating and dishing, penetrating and hitting a 15 footer, or it could mean creating fouls and getting to the line. She needs to work on developing that part of her game. With the green light and confidence, the sky is the limit but she HAS to work on those parts of her game. She has the athletic ability and length to be a great defender also. I think as she grows and develops, her game will come together. Again, she is a freshmen so it’s early but with the right work and developing more game IQ, look out! It’s a little bumpy now but in a year or so, she could be really good! With some growth I could see some D-1 offers and definitely D-2 offers.
How good is Yale commit Nyla McGill?
I’ve watched McGill play for a few years now and she is a baller. What I mean by that is she will do whatever it takes to win. If she has to score, pass, defend, rebound, whatever, she will do it. To answer the question, Nyla is really good. She is probably the best if not one of the best guards in Charlotte. It’s funny because she got off to a slow start last night but ended up with 16 by the half. When the team needs a lift or a push, she steps up to make it happen. Last night she found her way to the rim at will. She has an ability to side steps defenders and get to the rim. She didn’t take many jumpers last night but she is a consistent shooter. In the second half last night she seemed to make it a point to get her teammates going as she made some pinpoint passes. Her teammates didn’t always convert but she gave them good looks. On defense she can be active and has a knack for finding the ball while getting steals which leads the break. She is the cowbell for Providence and they will go as far as she takes them. I am looking forward to seeing her play tougher competition in efforts to watch her rise to the occasion. The best attribute about McGill is that she will fight to the end and always give her team a chance to win.
Diamond in the rough?
Keep an eye on Payton Oliver. She is a 5-1 freshmen guard for Porter Ridge. She still has a great deal of developing to do but she has a jumper. When she gets a look she will let it go and she can hit it. You can tell her coach has instilled confidence in her to take the shot which is major. She will need to develop more of her game to be a solid college prospect. Example, she needs to learn to create offense off the dribble, get a little stronger and build her IQ. If she can work on that over the next two years and continue to take and hit the jumper, she will be well rounded and ready to be recruited. She is small but with solid handles and the ability to get off her shot, she can get a look!